Joy of Life: I am Li Chengze, and I have mastered the Eight Wonders

Chapter 81 The prosperous age
"Your Majesty, the second prince Li Chengze has arrived." Deep inside the palace, Eunuch Hou respectfully reported to Emperor Qing.

"Let him in." Emperor Qing's voice was calm and powerful. He was not immersed in the research of armor-piercing arrows today. Instead, his eyes fell gently on the carefully prepared meal on the table without looking back.

Soon, Li Chengze walked into the hall. His eyes swept across the dishes on the table, and a trace of doubt arose in his heart.

Emperor Qing summoned him, but the situation seemed to be contrary to common practice. He was treated to delicious food?
In his memory, Emperor Qing seldom had anyone eat alone with him. Even with close people like the Crown Prince and Fan Xian, they mostly gathered together as a group.

Today's move really surprised him.

"Chengze, please take a seat now that you are here. I remember that these dishes are all your favorites."

Emperor Qing smiled warmly, waved to Li Chengze, motioned him to sit next to him, and gently pointed to the food on the table.

Although Li Chengze was full of confusion, he did not ask any more questions and sat down next to Emperor Qing as he was told.

"Try it quickly, these are all prepared specially for you." Seeing that Li Chengze was just sitting there without moving, Emperor Qing urged him in a gentle voice.

Li Chengze looked around the table. Although it was not a grand Manchu-Han banquet, each dish revealed ingenuity and exquisiteness.

What’s even more surprising is that even his favorite fruits are available, with great care shown in every detail.

At this moment, Li Chengze felt mixed emotions. He was puzzled by Emperor Qing's actions, but also touched by this sudden concern.

He slowly picked up the chopsticks and began to taste this special lunch, secretly pondering the deeper meaning behind Emperor Qing's action.

"Your Majesty, I dare not pick up this dish of braised carp. You should remember that I will get a rash all over my body after eating it."

Li Chengze gently pushed the braised carp in front of him, with a hint of warning in his eyes.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Qing patted his forehead as if he had suddenly realized something and said with a smile:

"Oh, look at my memory. I forgot the rash you got when you were a kid because you accidentally ate carp. You must have been seven years old at that time, right?"

"Your Majesty, he is actually seven years old, but the common people usually count the age by the nominal age, so they usually say he is eight years old."

Li Chengze corrected gently, but thought to himself. Emperor Qing was always deep, but today he invited me to dine with him so enthusiastically. This honor was unprecedented, and there must be a deep meaning behind it.

Could it be that it was because of my miraculous ability to bring the dead back to life that His Majesty couldn't help but be curious and pay attention to me?
Things in the world are often like this. Once they demonstrate their extraordinary value, everyone around them will become good.

Just as Fan Xian won the recognition of Emperor Qing with his talent, and just as he cultivated high-yield rice, which attracted high hopes from His Majesty.

Now, this magical power of bringing the dead back to life has made Emperor Qing treat him like a kind father and personally host a banquet in an attempt to win him over.

However, there was a dish of carp, to which he was allergic, on the table. It seemed unintentional, but it was actually intriguing.

Li Chengze knew clearly that all this was because of his own value improvement, and Emperor Qing wanted to take this opportunity to get closer to him. But this closeness was also filled with temptation and consideration.

He knew very well that in this palace where power and interests are intertwined, every step must be taken with caution. Li Chengze secretly speculated in his heart about the deep meaning behind Emperor Qing's move.

But it is elusive at the moment. "

Please ask the eunuch to remove this braised carp dish."

He asked politely, his eyes flickering with complex thoughts.

Eunuch Hou responded immediately, stepped forward quickly, and removed the carp plate from the table with quick and respectful movements.

"Your Majesty, if you like this flavor, you don't have to worry about me. I just don't like it."

Li Chengze spoke softly, trying to ease the subtlety in the atmosphere.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Qing waved his hand and said with a smile: "The purpose of today's banquet is to dine with you. Since you can't enjoy it,
What's the point of it staying here? " His words showed his sophistication and smoothness, and he had a good grasp of people's hearts. Li Chengze secretly sighed at the cleverness of Emperor Qing's tactics. If he hadn't known him for a long time, he would probably have been moved by his sudden "fatherly love"

On the surface, he maintained an expression of joy and gratitude, showing the fluctuations of emotions just right, neither excessive nor lacking in sincerity.

"It seems that your Majesty's actions today are indeed to deepen the friendship between us."

Li Chengze knew that the reason why Emperor Qing was like this was because of the shock of the resurrection technique. In this palace where power and secrets are intertwined, no one can remain indifferent to this, and Emperor Qing is no exception.

And the dish of braised carp that was removed might have been a subtle chess piece laid by Emperor Qing, intended to test or observe Li Chengze's reaction.

However, in Li Chengze's eyes, all this is just a part of the power game. He knows that only by staying sober and cautious can he gain a foothold in this complex and ever-changing palace.

After this observation and communication, Emperor Qing was certain in his heart that the Li Chengze in front of him was undoubtedly his true identity.

The memory of the carp is so profound, the details cannot be falsified, and it is difficult for those who have not experienced it personally to explain it.

"By the way, how is the progress of the bank project you are in charge of?"

Emperor Qing picked up a piece of delicacy with chopsticks and asked in a chatty tone while eating.

Li Chengze responded with a smile:

"Everything is going smoothly. The bank is on the right track and has absorbed tens of millions of taels of silver in savings, including huge sums of money from big merchants, and many ordinary people deposited their idle silver in the hope of earning a meager interest.

In addition, the loan business is also running in an orderly manner, providing convenience for merchants and citizens.”

After hearing this, Emperor Qing nodded with satisfaction and praised: "You are indeed quite capable in running a bank, and the results are remarkable."

Li Chengze said modestly: "This is my duty, and I am making a small contribution to the prosperity of Qing Kingdom."

Then he added: "Fan Xian's bank in Jiangnan is about to be completed, and Fan Sizhe's bank on the border has also started construction.

I believe that in the near future, Qing's banking network will become more dense, and business will become more prosperous as a result."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Qing's eyes flashed with approval, and he affirmed Li Chengze's planning and execution ability.

Now, Qing Kingdom is entering a prosperous era, a scene of prosperity! "Chengze, this grand occasion,

Your contribution is invaluable, I toast you with this cup!" Emperor Qing spoke with sincerity and raised his cup to show his respect.

Li Chengze also raised his glass to greet him, and humbly responded: "This is all due to your Majesty's wise leadership and the efforts of all the people. I dare not take all the credit for it."

After deep thought, Emperor Qing's words are indeed intriguing. In terms of family roles, he may be lacking;

But when it comes to governing the country, Emperor Qing undoubtedly demonstrated outstanding talent.

Since he ascended the throne, Daqing's national strength has grown stronger, the economy has prospered, and business has flourished, which is an achievement that is obvious to all.

Emperor Qing's strategy was to promote commercial development first, which really demonstrated the emperor's foresight.

However, attributing all the credit for the prosperous era to himself made Li Chengze feel uneasy.

The prosperity of Daqing is the result of the joint efforts of many subjects. How can it be achieved by one person alone?
Behind this matter lies the delicate balance of power and the relationship between the monarch and his subjects.
We should have a broad mind that can accommodate all voices and achievements.

As for Emperor Qing, whether he could do this, Li Chengze secretly wondered in his heart, knowing that his personality was complex and it was difficult to make a conclusion easily.

(End of this chapter)